


College AU

by rosenkrone (orphan_account)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2018-01-04 16:54:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1083411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/rosenkrone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erd, Petra, and Levi become roommates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	College AU

The fact that two of his closest friends were sleeping together did not bother Levi in the slightest. He honestly did not mind living under the same roof as the two of them, but even he had his limits. Limits which were constantly pushed to the boundary by Hanji who had a tendency to get caught up in the moment and forget her surroundings. Normally, Erwin was able to keep Hanji reined in, but apparently her impulsive side was beginning to rub off on him as well.

There were just certain things that a person did not need to know. And Levi was really starting to wish that he did not know about the location of that beauty mark which seemed to have burned itself into his retinas.

"At least learn to close the door." The words were muttered under his breath as he walked out of the room, reaching up to rub at his temples. It was far too early for this nonsense. He needed caffeine. Or possibly something stronger.

-

He was a regular customer, though Petra had never seen him arrive quite this early before. He took a seat at his normal table, slumping into the chair with a sigh. Taking one look at his expression, Petra could only imagine what had happened.

His order was always the same and Petra had long since memorized the way he preferred to drink his coffee. She grabbed a nearby mug and the necessary ingredients before mixing everything together even as her coworker began to tease her in earnest. Petra stuck her tongue out in retaliation, ignoring the words as she concentrated on adding something sweet into the drink.

"You’re not even going to ask him first?"

Petra shrugged, eyes focused on the mug. “He always asks for the same thing. I’m pretty sure I could make it in my sleep by now.”

The other girl laughed, placing her arm around Petra’s waist and squeezing. “You’ve memorized his order.”

She brushed past her friend, bumping her lightly with her hip. “He’s here all the time. Of course I know what he drinks.”

The only answer that received was a giggle and Petra sighed before moving around the counter and approaching the customer’s table. Once she reached his side, Petra set the drink down with a smile. “I added a little something extra. Hope it helps.”

He looked up, accepting the drink with a nod. “Thanks.”

She watched him take a sip, eyes closing as he took in the taste. He set the mug on the table and she noticed that some of the lines on his face had eased a bit. “Anything else I can get for you?”

He blinked, noting that she was still there before offering a slight smile of his own. “Not right now.”

"Let me know if you change your mind." He nodded again and she backed away, watching him enjoy the drink before turning around and walking back to the counter..

Petra’s coworker grinned, tugging the strings of her apron as she passed by. “Learn anything interesting?”

"Oh, shut up." The bell above the door rings, interrupting their talk and they both look up to see a new customer enter the shop. Petra smirked, noting how the other girl is carefully watching Erd as he makes his way through the cafe.

"Think you can handle your secret admirer?"

"Don’t you have to be in class in a few minutes?"

There is a hint of red in her cheeks but Petra doesn’t comment on it, trying to keep her laughter in check until her friend is out of earshot. It’s a shame she has to leave before she can witness Erd trying to flirt with the poor girl.

-

"You look like hell. Rough morning?"

The sound of Erd’s voice snapped Levi out of his thoughts and he turned his attention from the coffee to the man standing in front of him. “You could say that.”

Erd takes a seat across from him, leaning forward to rest his chin on this hands. “Are those two still in their honeymoon phase?”

There is a pause while Levi tries to keep his mind from flashing to the events from earlier. He takes a sip of coffee in an effort to focus on something else. “Let’s not talk about them.”

The other waitress in the cafe approaches their table to take Erd’s order and Levi watches as Erd smiles at her, stumbling over his words a few times before he finally greets her with one of the most ridiculous pick up lines he has ever heard in his life. He eventually tells her what he would like to drink and she turns away with a roll of her eyes, but Levi catches the hint of a smile on her face as she heads behind the counter to prepare his order.

"That was awful." Levi is still trying to figure out how Erd managed to say it with a completely straight face.

"But I think I’m winning her over." There is a ridiculous grin on Erd’s face as he watches the waitress and Levi is left with the feeling that he’s about to be treated to even more cheesy lines once she returns with his drink.

-

"Would you mind a new roommate?"

The question is unexpected and Petra leans against Erd as they sit on the couch. “Why? Getting sick of me already?”

Erd ruffled Petra’s hair, ignoring her protests and pulling her into a tight hug. “One of my old college friends might need a new place to stay.”

She struggled against his hold for a few moments, eventually giving up with a huff and falling back to rest her head against his shoulder. “You have friends other than me?”

"Very funny." He placed his chin on top of her head, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "So what’s the answer?"

Petra only takes a moment to think about it. “I don’t mind. I just hope he doesn’t go to you for advice on how to talk with the ladies.”

"Now that was just uncalled for."

"Erd, please. I have ears. You need better material."

"Maybe if someone would actually tell me her name…" His fingers prod at her sides, making Petra jump.

"Where’s the fun in that?" Her elbow pushes against Erd’s stomach, a slight warning that continuing those actions would not be in his best interest.

He relents, a goofy look forming on his face as he recalls talking with the girl. “I think she smiled at me this time.”

"Only because I told her to be nice."

Erd pouts and Petra pats his cheek. There’s no need to tell him her friend thinks he’s cute. She needs to keep his ego in check before he starts to get any crazy ideas.

-

"You know, if you want to try getting away for a bit, you could always stay with me and Petra. She’s not so bad once you get used to her."

Levi looks up as Erd sits in the chair next to him, a coffee cup with a very familiar logo held in his hand. “That doesn’t sound very inspiring.”

"I’ve seen her do things that just aren’t normal."

"I live with Hanji."

Erd is all too familiar with Hanji and her habits and laughs at the reminder. “Well, she’s nowhere near that level.”

"Most people aren’t."

"So what do you say? We can have the spare room cleared out for you in a few days."

"Why not." Levi accepts the offer after some thought. It certainly can’t be any worse than where he’s currently living.

-

Erd reached forward to tug on the small ponytail and Petra turned around with a scowl. “You know I hate that.”

"That’s why I do it."

Petra scowled, jumping up and attempting to wrap her arm around his neck. “You are too damn tall.”

Erd placed his hand on top of Petra’s head, pushing down just enough to make her struggle. “Not my fault you’re a midget.”

She aimed a kick to the side of his leg, grabbing Erd around the neck as he stumbled forward. The doorbell rang, startling both of them and Petra sighed as Erd straightened up and she ended up hanging down his back.

"Think you can release me? Someone has to answer the door."

Instead, Petra pulled herself up, wrapping her legs around his waist and sitting piggy back style without loosening her grip around his neck.

"Going for a killer first impression are you?"

"Just answer the door."

"Sure thing, Princess."

When Erd opens the door, Petra is surprised to see the man from the cafe. His eyes widen just a fraction when he sees that she’s practically choking Erd but she gives him points for not running off the moment he sees them. She doesn’t pay much attention to what Erd is telling him, too caught up in studying him up close until she catches his name.

"Levi, this is Petra. And remember, I did warn you."

"Hey!" She loosens the grip on his neck to pinch his cheek. "That’s just rude." Leaning forward, she reaches across Erd’s shoulders, using her knee to making him bend just a little so that she can stretch out her hand towards the new roommate. "It’s nice to finally put a name with a familiar face!"

Levi reaches out to tentatively shake her hand and Petra grips it tightly, welcoming him to their home. 

\--

Seeing Petra sitting on top of Erd had caught him off guard. Watching the two of them, Levi had almost started having second thoughts about his decision, wondering if it was going to be a repeat of living with Hanji and Erwin.

Petra seemed to sense his hesitance, releasing her grip on his hand and landing with a small hop. She ignored Erd’s sarcastic comments, calling him a wimp before approaching Levi with that familiar smile and an offer to help. It wasn’t until Erd started to laugh at her, asking who she was trying to fool that Levi was snapped out of his stupor. Petra rolled her eyes, brushing past Erd, bumping against his side and pushing him off balance as she carried a few items toward the room Levi would be staying in.

Once she was out of earshot, Levi had turned to Erd with a serious expression. “You’re not sleeping together are you?”

Erd had promptly choked, nearly falling over before answering with a slightly strangled voice. “Hell no.”

-

It did not take long for Levi to adjust to living with Erd and Petra. The mornings were generally quiet, Petra joining him every so often for a quick meal before she would head off to class. It was interesting to see such a different side to the girl he had first met in the cafe. She had always been sweet and cheerful, an ever present smile on her face as she greeted him with a cup of coffee.

But Levi was quick to learn that Petra was not exactly a morning person. She would often stumble into the kitchen half dressed, hair slightly askew, and head straight for the coffee. He had almost choked on his own coffee when she rushed past him one morning dressed in nothing but a pair of shorts and a shirt that had to belong to Erd judging from the fact that it was far too large for her slight frame.

Erd enjoyed watching his reactions far too much, usually pointing out that he had warned Levi about Petra before he moved in. Levi’s response tended to be disbelief that they weren’t sleeping together, causing Erd to rub at his temples and deny it even being a possibility.

-

Afternoons were far more relaxing for Levi since Erd was normally working and Petra was mostly preoccupied with classes and her work shifts. It was easier to focus on his own work without the constant chatter and hectic pace of the other two. Every so often, Petra would join him in the small kitchen if her classes ended early or if she had a day off from the cafe. She had a tendency to talk to herself, but to Levi’s surprise the soft murmurs soon became pleasant background noise.

They had developed a routine without even realizing it. Petra would bring him a warm drink, sometimes experimenting with various flavors according to his mood, and Levi would accept it with a slight smile before returning his focus to the documents spread around the table. She had a knack for picking up on the slight changes in his demeanor and it made him wonder just how closely she watched him at times.

-

There was an outraged shriek that sounded through the hall and Levi felt an odd sense of déjà vu as he came upon the sight of Petra straddling Erd’s waist and pressing a pillow against his face. He was at least thankful that they were both fully clothed. Erd seemed to sense his presence first, a muffled cry emerging from underneath the pillow.

"I’ll just leave you two alone then." Levi had every intention of getting as far away from them as possible but as he turned to leave, a pillow hit him straight in the face. It fell the floor and he blinked, staring at Petra who was trying to feign innocence. However, the fact that Erd was no longer being smothered by a pillow worked against her.

"I don’t-" His words were cut off as another pillow hit him and Levi bit back a growl. The next pillow was quick to follow but he caught it in his hands, throwing it back at Petra. She was not prepared for the counterattack and ended up falling off of Erd.

She sat up, hair sticking out in various directions and gripped the pillow in her hand. “This means war.”

There was a moment of silence as Levi narrowed his eyes and Erd sat up, taking note of the surroundings. Petra flung the pillow across the room, swearing when Levi neatly avoided the throw. Erd began to laugh once the shock wore off, making a hasty retreat before anyone could stop him.

Levi turned his attention back to Petra, intent on calling a truce, but found himself falling to the floor with a grunt as she landed on top of him. The pillow in her hands smacked into his chest and he was breathless from the sudden impact. Petra was suddenly far too close, legs tangling with his and hair brushing across his neck, which made his breath catch for an entirely different reason.

She sat up with a grin and Levi almost missed what she was saying, too focused on the movement of her mouth as she leaned forward.

"Do you admit defeat?"

He held up his hands in surrender and nodded, not quite trusting the sound of his voice at the moment. Petra sat up with a flourish, grin still firmly in place as she carefully stood up, trying not to trip over Levi.

Erd chose that moment to peek around the doorway, cautiously taking in the scene. “It’s really quiet in here. Did you knock him out, Petra?”

She jumped at the sound of his voice, tripping over Levi’s leg. He moved to steady her fall but ended up catching her awkwardly. Petra turned to him, eyes wide as he hissed in pain.

It is Erd who speaks first, peering over their shoulders to look at Levi’s hand. “I don’t think fingers are supposed to bend like that…”

-

"I’m so sorry. Honestly." Petra fidgeted in the doorway as she watched Levi fumble with the razor, trying to find a good grip on the handle that wouldn’t stress his hand.

"Accidents happen." He winced a bit, placing the razor on the counter and lightly stroking the skin around his chin as he studied his reflection in the mirror

"At least let me help?"

Levi turned to Petra with a curious look. “Well…”

Petra stepped forward, grabbing the can of shaving cream before Levi could change his mind. “Don’t worry. I help Erd all the time.” Well, she watched Erd shave all the time. Sitting on the counter and poking him in the side when he tried to ignore her. But it couldn’t be that hard. She shaved her legs, how different could shaving someone else’s face honestly be?

She pulled herself onto the edge of the bathroom counter, placing her hands on Levi’s shoulders and pulling him forward. He stood between her knees looking just a little uncomfortable but Petra chalked that up to the fact that she would be holding a blade against his throat in a matter of minutes.

The can of shaving cream was next to her thigh and she picked it up, shaking it a bit before spraying some of it on her hands. Petra lightly spread it across his face, biting her lip as she concentrated on the action. Levi tensed a bit under her touch as her fingers brushed against the lobe of his ear and she murmured an apology, wondering if he was slightly ticklish. Once she was satisfied, Petra picked up the razor and smiled brightly at Levi. “Ready?”

The first swipe of the blade ended without incident and Petra released the breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding. Growing a little braver, she moved to do the next section, smiling when smooth skin was revealed. Unfortunately she nicked Levi with the next move, wincing as a small spot of blood began to well up.

"Ah, sorry…" Petra’s voice trailed off as another spot of blood began to appear. Her hand shook a bit, adding yet another cut to his face. Levi patted her knee with his good hand, silently raising a brow as she stared at his face in growing horror. By the time she finished, there were a number of small cuts along his face and Petra could hardly look him in the eye.

-

"What the hell happened to your face?"

Levi glanced at Petra, noting the slight flush of her cheeks. “Why don’t you ask Sweeney Todd over there?”

"You let her near you with a sharp object?" Erd steadied himself against the counter, staring at Levi with wide eyes.

"I was told she knew what she was doing." Levi’s fingers ran along the small cuts, wincing as he came across a particularly sensitive spot.

Erd practically snorted when the words left Levi’s mouth. “This is almost as good as the time you tried to give Auruo a haircut.”

Petra bristled at the comment. “It was his own fault for not sitting still.”

"You should see Auruo when he catches Petra with a pair of scissors in her hands." Erd ignored Petra’s attempts to distract him, refusing to leave out any details. By the time he finished, Petra had sat down at the table covering her head with her arms and Levi was starting to think he had gotten off fairly easy with just a few cuts across his face.

-

Petra steadily chopped the vegetables, watching from the corner of her eye as Levi carefully stirred the mixture in the pot.

"Ready for this?"

She turned to him, pointing to the pot with the hand that held the knife and catching the way he shifted away from her. Pulling her hand back, she knocked the edge of the knife against the cutting board and frowned when Levi froze at the sound.

"Did you just move away from me?"

Levi glanced up, eyeing her with caution. “I think you’re imagining things.”

Her grip on the knife changed and Petra stabbed the cutting board. Levi flinched at the sound, eyes widening as he caught the sudden motion. “I know the difference between you and a few vegetables.”

Levi placed his injured hand against his chin and the sight of the bandages made her pause.

"Forgive me if I’m just a little cautious."

She threw a chunk of carrot at his head in response.

-

"Do I even want to know what happened?"

Petra looked up at Erd, struggling to get something that could have been a noodle at one point out of her hair. 

Turning to Levi he saw that his other friend was covered in pieces of broccoli and carrot.

"I just can’t leave you two alone, can I?"

-

"That’s just… wrong."

Petra pauses she she hears Erd’s voice. She quietly sets her keys down on the counter, moving towards the sound. It isn’t often that she is able to catch him by surprise and it’s always great to have new blackmail material.

"Trust me. After the things I’ve seen, I just can’t see her that way at all."

It isn’t until Erd starts telling Levi about some of her more embarrassing childhood moments that Petra realizes that they are discussing her. She struggles not to interrupt, wondering where this is going but when she hears the word ‘wet’ she just knows. Running forward, she hits the back of the couch with a yell and tackles Erd from behind.

Her hands wrap around Erd’s face, covering his mouth as quickly as possible. Levi is staring at her with an amused grin but all Petra can worry about is keeping her grip on Erd. No one ever needs to know about that incident.

-

Levi wakes to the sound of the front door clicking shut. Once his eyes adjust to the darkness he notices that it’s Erd arriving home. Moving to stretch, Levi notices for the first time that he’s not alone. Petra is asleep, clutching his arm and leaning against his shoulder.

Erd approaches with a grin. “Am I interrupting anything?”

Levi is tempted to glare but his mind is still a little foggy from just waking up. “We were watching a movie.”

"She’s drooling on your shoulder." Well that explains the dampness. Erd laughs under his breath, reaching out to straighten Petra’s hair. She mumbles to herself, moving to curl closer to Levi and he ignores the knowing look in Erd’s eyes. The look on his face changes within moments as a new realization sets in. "Think you could find out what her friend’s name is for me?"

Levi doesn’t miss the hopeful note in Erd’s voice. ”You could just ask her when you see her at the cafe.” Erd pauses and Levi stares at him incredulously. “That thought never even occurred to you?”

That goofy smile is back on Erd’s face. “She’s so pretty.”

"You are hopeless."

\--

"Petra can’t dance."

Petra nearly chokes on her drink when the words leave Erd’s mouth. Levi looks at her, brow slightly raised in silent question. The blush that stains her cheeks is enough of an answer and she focuses on her own drink instead of speaking

Erd pulls her into a clumsy hug, laughing the whole time. “She nearly broke my foot once.”

Her elbow digging into his side does little to stop the words coming out of his mouth. “That was on purpose, you big idiot.”

A sloppy kiss is placed on her forehead and Petra wrinkles her nose in disgust, pushing Erd back.

Levi is more than used to their antics and hardly bats an eye as they proceed to try knocking each other off the couch. He considers the amount of alcohol they’ve had and how likely it will be for someone to end up with a broken bone before interupting their impromptu fight. “I could always teach you, if you want.”

Petra is the first to respond, looking up in confusion as she struggles to stay seated. “What?”

The slight moment of hesitation is all Erd needs to push her to the floor with a thud. She doesn’t go without a struggle and Erd is quickly pulled after her. He pins her slight frame to the carpet before turning to grin at Levi from his spot on the floor. “She’ll do it.”

A knee to Erd’s stomach quickly turns the tables and Petra struggles to sit up, hair disheveled and face flushed from exertion. “You really don’t have to.”

Her words are interrupted by a pillow smacking into the back of her head.

-

"You really don’t have to do this."

"It’s not a problem." Petra is almost fidgeting, looking anywhere but at him. It would probably be more amusing if they hadn’t been at this for almost an hour already.

"You’re sure?"

"Positive." There is a hint of laughter in Levi’s answer which finally captures her attention. She looks up, meeting his gaze with a wary expression.

"I don’t know…"

"Stop stalling." He holds out his hand and Petra hesitantly lets him grasp her fingers. Levi places her other hand just above his hip. "We’ll start with something simple. A box step."

Before Petra can say anything, Levi continues by explaining the details that make up the dance. He recites the steps in order, guiding her through the movements with his words and hands. They are soon doing a simple box step and Petra has even managed to do a few circuits without muttering the instructions under her breath. As she relaxes, her death grip on his hand loosens and soon Petra’s movements are more fluid than they were previously. He praises her for catching on so quickly and enjoys the quiet laughter that escapes as she gets caught up in the moment.

"Want to try to something a little faster?"

The question makes her pause but she is quick to smile. “As long as it’s nothing too fancy.”

Levi pulls her a little closer, making her squeak at the sudden movement. He describes the next set of moves carefully, slowly helping her through the motions and gently guiding her through the additional steps. Petra is an extremely fast learner, quick on her feet despite her claims of being clumsy. He thinks that she just gets too nervous and forgets how to focus.

She steps forward until there is hardly any room separating them but Levi does not comment on it. There is a playful smile on her face and he’s curious to see what she has in mind. He is soon lost in her gaze and it takes him a moment to realize that she’s managed to steal the lead in their little dance, the steps nearly perfect.

He’s happy to let her set the pace for a minute or two but Levi manages to keep her on her toes by adding in a few new moves. She stumbles at first but manages to keep up once she learns the new routine. The smile on her face when she realizes what she’s accomplished is beautiful and Levi can’t help but lean closer. Petra seems to have a similar idea and her nose bumps against his, making her laugh as her lips ghost over his for a few brief seconds.

The clatter of keys hitting the table startles both of them and Petra nearly ends up kicking Levi in the shin. They turn to find Erd standing in the doorway with a ridiculous smile plastered on his face. Levi and Petra are frozen in place, faces slightly red from embarrassment, both wondering just how much he’s seen. He is quick to laugh before settling himself on the couch with a small bounce. “Don’t let me stop you. Feel free to continue where you left off.”

\--

Petra giggles against his lips as they stumble towards his room, nearly tripping over one another in their haste. She pins Levi to the door, lightly brushing kisses along the underside of his jaw as her hand fumbles with the door knob. He nips at the skin above her pulse point, drawing out a sharp gasp from Petra’s mouth.

She pulls back, a frustrated look on her face and Levi runs his hands along her sides, trying to bite back the urge to laugh when he catches sight of the murderous glare on her face. He leans forward, kissing the corner of her eye and the edge of her jaw before whispering teasing words against the shell of her ear. Petra’s hand fumbles a second time and she sighs against his skin, pinching the sensitive skin above his hip in retaliation.

The door eventually opens and she pushes Levi backwards, entering the room and kicking the door shut with her foot. Petra’s hand is soon tangled in the folds of his shirt, kisses pressed against exposed skin and he pulls her into a slow, sweet kiss as they fall to the bed.

-

The sunlight wakes Levi and he blinks, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness. It takes him another minute to realize that Petra is draped comfortably across him, arm wrapped tightly around his waist.

A glance at the clock tells him that he really should get up before he’s late but Levi is tempted to pull Petra closer and relax against her warmth. Her breath is steady against his neck and he slowly tucks the messy strands of hair behind her ear, trying not to wake her. Leaning forward, he brushes a light kiss against her cheek before carefully extracting himself from her grip.

Levi stretches, making his way to the closet and pulling out a suitable outfit for the day. He dresses as quietly as possible, glancing over his shoulder to watch Petra every so often. She mutters in her sleep, settling herself more firmly against his pillow and he can’t help but smile at the sight.

-

Levi skips the cream and sweeteners, opting to drink the coffee black in an attempt to wake up faster. He runs a hand over his eyes and through his hair, wincing as the bitter taste hits the back of his throat.

Erd watches him, snorting a bit when notices Levi’s state. “Rough night?”

He makes a noncommittal noise, sipping at the hot brew and idly flipping through the small stack of papers that he had prepared the night before.

Petra rushes into the kitchen, headed straight for the coffee machine and Levi glances up, trying not to react when he realizes what she’s wearing. The buttons are a complete mess, twisted into the wrong spots but it is unmistakably his shirt. It fits her a little too well and Levi tightens his grip around the mug in his hand, trying not to dwell on that fact.

She sighs happily as she drinks the sugary concoction that passes for coffee and Levi holds his breath, hoping Erd won’t look over. But of course Erd would never pass up the chance to tease her and it’s a lost cause. He can practically feel the moment the dots connect and he realizes what has happened while he was out trying to win over Petra’s friend from the cafe.

"Well that certainly explains why you’ve got all those scratches. I didn’t think you would let Petra help you shave again after the last time."

Petra’s cup hits the counter just a little too hard as she starts to choke on her drink and Levi slowly sets his hands over his face. He has a feeling it’s going to be a long morning.


End file.
